An explicit aim of the Centre is to discover and deliver novel therapies for brain disorders. The Centre seeks to achieve its mission by providing internationally recognised research programmes; first class training opportunities; a seamless career structure for tomorrow's clinician-scientists; support for communications and networking; high quality facilities for clinical and imaging research; and a raised profile for the research of its members and associated members. A key philosophy of the Centre is that top class research must be underpinned by excellent and linked clinical services.

Our major research strengths include:

• Imaging: the SFC Brain Imaging Research Centre leads a Scotland-wide brain imaging research network (SINAPSE) that has attracted seven imaging chairs to Scotland, and is involved in several UK and international initiatives.
  
  
• Clinical trials and research design: population disease surveillance, disease registers, population surveys, observational cohort studies, case-control studies, randomised trials, systematic reviews (of both human and animal studies), and evaluation of diagnostic test accuracy.
  
  
• Neuropsychiatric Genetics: through partnership with the Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine.
  
  
• Prion diseases.
  
  
• Regenerative neurology: bench to bedside research focused on multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease.
  
  
• Neuropathology: high quality brain banking targeting a range of well characterised disease cohorts.
  
  
• Epilepsy: researching and developing treatments for epilepsy through the Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre.